Water level indicator apparatus for steam power plants



Sept. 29,'1931. cj A. FRENCH ETAL 1,824,988

WATER LEVEL INDICATOR APPARATUS FOR STEAH'PO'BR'PLANTS -Filecr-J'an. 12, v1925 akamu-q Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNiTaD STArEs PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES A. FRENCH( AND rwssnrir'.l n. WATERMAN, or LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA,

.-LSSGNORSl TO FARMERS NATIONALBANK OF GREENVILLE, OHIO, ACORPOIRATION OF OI'IIOk GREENVILLEy orrro,y TRUSTEE, oF

WATER :LEVEL lNDIOAVTOR APJEARATU'V FOR STEAM POWER' PLAN'JS Application filed January 12, 1925.7Seria1 No. 1,855.1'

-Our invention relates to a water levelindicator apparatus for steam` power plants and more particularlyadapted for and used in Vconnection with the automotive steam power plant set .forth inour application for Letters Patent inthe lUnited States Patent fice for automotive steam power vplants filed November 26,` A1924,`Serial No. 752,899, and the principal objectof this invention is to provide a water level indicator apparatus of this class which will indicate the water level positively and accurately in automotive steam power plants. Another object of the invention is to/provide an apparatus of this class in connection-*with a constant supply reservoir androne portion of which communicates with a constant feed water pump, the

-other with a vprimary boiler coil, and the indicator indicates the waterlevel in the constant supply tank containingboth steamand water. Another object of the invention is to provide a. novel apparatus `of this class to be used in connection with automotive steam power plants. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, eflicient, durable, automatic in-its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. l f p l/Vith these and other objects in view. as will appear hereinafter, our invention conf sists of certain novel` features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had ltothe ac'- companying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which forma part of this application, in which: y K n Figure 1 is a partial sectional and elevational, diagrammatic view. of our apparatus.

Fig. 2 is any end view of the indicator mem ber and Fig. 3 is a sectional viewV thr 3 3 of Fig. 1 ona reduced scale.

Similar 'characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings. The steam storage and separating ydrum 1, tangential conductor 2, conductors 3, yand 4, gage conductor 5, conductors ,6 and 7,;water column ough member 8, feed water acket 9, copper expan-r sion tube 10, feed water conductor l'from pump 11, primary boiler water conductor 12, bushing member 13, nut 14, clamp-member 15, plug 16, ball 17, rod 18, lever19, adjust ing screw 20, casing 21, and .cover member 2.2, constitute the principal parts and portions of our water levelindicator apparatus.

The steam storage and separating drum 1 is kprovided with a conductor 2 which connects with said drum at a tangent as shown best in Figs. 1 and 3 of the `drawings ,so that the steam and thev water fromthe boiler through the conductor 2 enters the drum at a tangent separating the steam from the water by centrifugalv force and throwing all bodies heavier than lwater vagainst the outsidev wall ofthe drum. Therefore, the conductors 6 and 7 are set in nearly tothefcenter of the drum 1 to prevent scale, foreign materials.- and other solids from enteringthe `conductors' 6 and 7.. These conductors 6 and 7 are se-V 1 cured 'in the wall of the drum and support and communicate with the water column8fat its upper and lower ends. Tothe upperend of the. drum extends aconductor 3 `whichis connected with the superheater coil of the boiler, not shown, while the conductor 4 communicating with the lower end of the drum, is connected .with the evaporator coil of lthe boiler, It isV understood, however, that the drum may be connected to the boiler in any other mannerdesired; This water column 8 is .provided at its lowerend lwith an outlet conductor 8a which is providedwith a valve*` 8b whichV is adapted to cleanthe water colf umn. 1 Thiswatercolumn 8 is surrounded by a feed water jacket 9 through which cold feed water is pumped more or less continuously from a constant feed pump (not shown) through the conductor 11 into the feed water jacket 9 and out through the conductor 1 2 to the primary coil of the boiler.V

Extending through the active working length Y "ofthe lwater column 8 is a copper expansion tube 10 which is closed at thebottom as shown best in Fig. 1 and provided with a flange 10a at'its upper end. In the bottom of this copper tube 10 is a steelV ball 17` upon which rests a castgiron rod'18. kThe ball l'permits even distribution of force, exerted by the rod, over the whole inner end of the tube, and also transfers all tendency of wear on the ball itself. Secured on the upper end of the wa ter column 8 is a bushing 13 which is provided with downwardly extending flange 13a which fits over the upper end of the water Y l enlarged at its upper end, the enlarged por- Y vided with a pointed end 18a.

tion terminating at its lower end in a downwardly beveled shoulder or seat. Through the lower portion of the hole extends the upper end of the copper' expansion tube 10 which fits snugly therein and is provided'at its upper end with an enlarged or flanged portion 10aV which fits against said seat. Against the upper flanged end of the expansion tube 10 and around the rod 18 is positioned a clamp ring 15 Ywhich is clamped against said flanged portion 10a b va plug 16 which is screwed into the enlarged portion of the hole of the bushing 13 from the upper end thereof. VThe upper Yend ofthe rod 18 extends Aout through 'the plug 16 and is pro Y The casing 21 is preferably an elongated rectangular shaped casing provided with. a

vcover 22 secured thereon. Mounted in this cover 22 is an adjusting screw 20 ywhich extends downwardlyinto the casingin Aa position adjacent tothe upper end of the rod 18.

' The extended end of this adj ustingV screw 20 v is pointed at 20a.. Mounted on the point 18a which serves as a. fulcrum kis a lever 19; the

one end of said lever engages the point 20a ofthe. adjusting screw 20.` The other end of said'lever extends outwardly through a slot .21a in the one endrof the Ycasing 21 and .mounted on the ext-ended end of this lever is a hand orindex finger 19a, and the end of the member 21 adjacent to therindex linger is provided with. a scale on opposite sides for in'dicating'the water level.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A f

VThe water in the Water column 8 is not circulation buttheheight thereof is retained at approximately the level of therwater in the drum 1, 'and'lis keptn at nearly7 feed water temperature ,by .the cooling veffect ofthe feed water jacket 9, while the steam in the wa- Y ter column is at the temperature corresponding to Athe temperature of the steam under boiler pressure. Underfull load conditions the feed water temperature is usually about 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit while the steam in the water column which is under a boiler pressure of 750 lbs. has a temperature of 519 degrees Fahrenheit, it being noted that a portion of the colum-n extends above the water jacket 9 and'is therefore not directly subjectedV to the cooling eifect of the cooling water therein. Thus there is a difference of approximately y319 to 324 degrees between the temperature .of the water andV that of the steam. As the Water goes down in the drum 1, more of. thelength ofthe copper tube is exposed to the steam temperature thus expanding it and causing the top end of the cast iron yrod to bear less heavily against the indicating-lever 19 by reasonof the expansion of the copper' tube which is greater than the expansion of the cast iron rod', causing the outer end to lower; and as the Water -level in the drum rises the reverse action takes place causing the lever torise or to be shifted in the opposite direction. Although speciiic temperatures and boiler pressures are set'forth herein, 'these are only by way of illustration.r Our apparatus functions equallyas well under other' temperatures and pressures when constructed or calibrated for such other temperatures and pressures, it being noted that for the proper functioning of our apparatus the temperature of the Water in the column 8 andthe boiler pressure are to rema'ml substantially constant.V

Thoughv we have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, we` do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include in the scope of our' invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantiallyas set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

1. In a water level indicator apparatus for steam power plantsfa steam and water drum, a hollow vertical' column m'embe'r'communi-` eating with said drum near its upper and lowerends, a copper expansion tube closed at its lower endfand mounted in said hollow vertical Vcolumn member and supported near its upper end on the upper end of'said column member, a. steel ball'positioned in the bottom of said tube, a rod positioned insaid tube on said ball, means for rigidly connecting said column member with said expansion'tube, a circulating 4waterY aclret surrounding said column member, a lever pivotally mounted upon the extended end of said rod, an adjusting 'screw engaging the one end of said lever, and scale meansl contiguous to the opposite end of said lever.

V2; Ina 'water level indicator' apparatus for steam power plants, a'steam and Water drum, a-hollow verticalcolumn member communicating with said drum near its upper and lower ends, a copper expansion tube closed at its lower end and mountedv in said hollow vertical column member and supported near its upper end on the upper end'of said column member, a steel ball positioned in the bottom of said tube, a rod positioned in said tube on said ball, means for rigidly connecting said column member with said expansion tube,a circulating water jacket surrounding said column member, a lever pivotally mounted upon the extended end of said rod, an adjusting screw engaging the one end of said lever, scale means contiguous tothe opposite'end of said lever, and steam and water supply means in coimnunication with said steam and water drum.

3. In a water level indicator apparatus for steam power plants, boiler, of a water column member communicating at its upper and lower ends therewith and adapted to receive steam and water therefrom, a water circulating,chamber adjacent to the outer wall of said member, heat expansion means mounted in said member,

the water and steam therein impinging against the expansion means, a portion of the expansion means being fixed relative to said member and another portion thereof being;Y

freely movable relative to the member when the expansion means is subjected to said water and steam, indicating means, and means operatively connecting said indicating means to the movable portion of said expansion means, said expansion means, when expanded by the steam, actuating said indicating means.

4l. In a water level indicator apparatus for steam power plants, the combination with a boiler, of a Water column member communieating at its upper and lower ends therewith and adapted to receive steam and water therefrom, a water circulating chamber adjacent to the -outer wall of said member, elongated heat expansion means mounted in and extending substantially the full length of said member, and adapted to be subjected simultaneously to the temperature of the steam and watertherein, one end of the expansion means being fixed relative to said member and the other end being freely movablev relative thereto, indicating means, and means operatively connecting saidV indicating means to the movable end of said expansion means, said expansion means, when expanded by the steam, actuating said indicating means.

5. In a water level indicator apparatus for i steam power plants. the combination with a boiler, of a supporting means in association with the boiler, an elongated expansion tube fixed at one end on the supporting means and adapted to be subjected to the water and steam of the boiler, a rod mounted in said tube and extending `with one end to the end the combination with a,

ofthe tube opposite thefixed end thereof, the other end ofthe rod ex-tending 4beyond the fixed'end ofthe tube,- an indicating means, and means operatively connecting said indicating means withthe latter end of the rod..

6. -Inasteam power plants, a. combined steam and "water-drum, a water column member communicating with thevupper and lower endsof water level indicator apparatus for said drum, a cold water circulation receptacle surrounding said water column member, an

expansion means mounted `in said water colnmn'member and secured to and extending from one end thereof and adapted to be expanded bythe steamtherein in inverse proportionito the height-,of the water therein.

' 7;vl In a: water level indicator-apparatus for steam power,plants,a combined steam and vwater drum, a water column member communicating with the upperand lower ends of said drum, a cold watereirculation re'- ceptacle surrounding said water column, an

elongated expansion member mounted ixedly atitsupper/ end in said'watercolunin mernwater column member communicating with said drum at its upper and lower ends, elongated expansion means fixed near one end to one end of the water column member and extending substantially the full length of said water column member and having a portion thereof extending from the end of the column member to which-the expansion means is xed, said expansion means being adapted to be expanded by the steam in the water column member in inverse proportion to the height ofthe water therein, and indicating means operated by the extended end of said expansion means.

9. In a water level indicator apparatus, a

constant supply steam and water drum, a

Vwater column member communicating with said drum at its upper and lower ends, elongated expansion means fixed near one end to one end-of the water column member and extending substantially` the full length of said water column member and having a portion thereof extending from the end of the column member to which the expansion means is fixed, said expansion means being adapted to be expanded by the steam in the water column member in inverse proportion to the height of the water therein, indicating means operated bythe extendedend of said expanlno sion means, and a circulation water jacket surrounding said Water column member,

10. :In a Water level indicator apparatus, a

constant supply steam and lWater drum, a j

Water columnvmember communicating with said drum at its upper and' lower ends,.elon gated expansion means fixed near one end to one end of the Water column member and eX- tending substantially the full length of said Water column member and having a portion thereof extending from the end of the column member to which the expansion means is fixed. said expansion means being adapted to be expanded by the steam in thewater column member in inverse proportion to the height of the Water therein, and indicating means operated by the extended end of said expansion means, said indicating means comprising a lever means pivotally mounted on said expansion means, an adjusting member in connection With one end of Vsaid lever means, and a scale contiguous to the opposite end thereof. Y

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California this 31st day of December 1924.

CHARLES A. FRENCH.

RUSSELL R. WATERMAN. 

